(Courtesy of Lisa Christianti)

Lisa Christianti Wijaya believes in innovation and people to keep ahead in the auto business.

When it comes to what it takes to achieving a company'€™s goals, Lisa Christianti Wijaya is an adherent to the all-important role of people working well together.

'€œIt might sound cliché but that'€™s what I have experienced before when I worked at a multinational company,'€ said the 43-year-old, who six months ago assumed her role as vice president of PT Grandauto Dinamika, the sole agent of Jaguar and Land Rover in Indonesia.

'€œTeamwork will surpass one individual performance in terms of accomplishing a business project and the expected result.'€

When people are encouraged to have a say in a project meeting, for example, more brilliant and creative ideas and input can be gained, bringing a positive impact on the final outcome.

'€œTeamwork can maximize output,'€ she said.

Teamwork can be enhanced through combined actions that include people-focused management and the right working culture in which values of professionalism and integrity are constantly nurtured.

She previously worked at Mercedes-Benz Indonesia and the multinational working culture became ingrained in her approached. In her new position, she felt she had to make changes concerning human resources policy, one of her main priority programs.

Lisa proposed recruitment of new talent as well as empowering existing employees to enable them to be aligned with the company'€™s renewed vision of becoming one of the national companies to be reckoned with.

Under the teamwork performance framework, employees are valued and treated as corporate assets.

'€œI think it is important to treat employees as corporate assets because in this way, they will automatically enhance their sense of belonging and take pride in working as a team. Thus they become highly committed and motivated,'€ she said.

To enhance people-related aspects, she asked each division to conduct an appraisal of its members, '€œto allow us to mutually know the true condition of the employees in terms of working attitude, spirit and motivation. In this way, we can find the right and best solutions to employee-related problems'€.

For example, it was determined that a 10-year employee had lost his work motivation was consequently underperforming. Different factors were used to analyze the issue.

'€œWe find that his underperforming was not caused by a lack of skills or capability but by his past experience that made him unhappy with the company. So, we find the right solution to the matter. We deal with problems on a case-by-case basis.'€

Those lacking in skills are given the opportunity to do training based on their need.

'€œThey have increased working spirit even though I am aware that this might not be the only approach to raise their working spirit. But I notice that in this way, they can give more priority to carrying out their tasks that the company obliges them to do. And they do not feel worried about the possible loss of rights as an employee due to the company'€™s change of policy,'€ she said.

Spirit of competition

Lisa, speaking from her six years of experience in a multinational firm'€™s working culture, said it boasts clear working rules and regulations and also encourages employees to compete with one another fairly for the sake of corporate growth.

'€œIn the multinational working culture, employees are expected to know their respective target. If likened with boxers, they know which right target they should hit,'€ said Lisa

'€œEmployees are also encouraged to give input or feedback. So, since I started working here we have had regular meetings involving different departments so that they are all aware of what they are doing.'€

Multinational working culture allows both employees and company to know their rights and obligations, and lets the former feel valued and to do their work professionally.

Her daily leadership style could be described as fair but firm.

'€œThe clear thing is that I am not an authoritarian. As reflected in what I do, I always look forward to cooperation but abide by the existing rules and regulations. That'€™s what I always emphasize that to my subordinates,'€ she said.

'€œLet put it in this way: This is the route. You are allowed to veer right or left but should not come out of the route. If they violate the rule, then there is a consequence that they have to bear,'€ she said.

According to her, the democratic style that she embraces stems from the lessons learned from the previous company where she worked.

'€œIn making a decision, we involve other divisions, such as marketing, pricing, products, strategy, after sales, etc. We make decisions there. That'€™s the style to which I am accustomed,'€ she said.

'€œBut in an emergency situation, willing or not, I have to make my own decision.'€

She underlines the importance of giving clear guidance to subordinates to enable them to perform a task well.

Lisa embarked on her career at a luxury car company as a management trainee but she was interested in working as a salesperson during a job rotation period at Mercedes-Benz Indonesia, and asked her superior to move her to the company'€™s sales division.

For her, working as a salesperson of an automotive company was challenging but interesting.

'€œOwning a luxury car is part of the affluent lifestyle, which demands her to be creative and innovative and keep up to date with trends and current affairs,'€ she said.

The automotive business is always influenced by trends and the economic, social and political situation.

'€œThis drives us to keep thinking. When the government raised the value added tax [VAT] on luxury goods, we had to prepare the right strategy so as not to affect our business and we did it without violating the prevailing rules and regulations,'€ she pointed out.

Sharing lifestyle trends favorable to the sale of luxury cars, she disclosed that there was an unwritten trend in which wealthy persons always wanted to be the first when it came to owning a product or taking advantage of a service because it enhanced their social status.

'€œThis prompts us to be always creative and innovative in providing added value to them.'€

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Lisa Christianti Wijaya

Date of Birth

March 14, 1971

Experience

More than 6 years holding strategic positions at automotive distributors, including the current one with PT Grandauto Dinamika, distributor of Jaguar and Land Rover (September 2013 - present) as vice president. Previously, worked at Mercedes-Benz Indonesia (1996 - 2012), with the final position as deputy director (2010-2012). Embarked on her career in automotive sector at PT Kawasaki Motor Indonesia as production planning and inventory control supervisor.

Education

Engineer in industrial management and engineering, University of Surabaya (1989 '€“ 1993). MBA at Swiss German University (2003 '€“ 2005).

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At Ease

Learning different culture

I like traveling very much because by doing so, I can learn about different cultures. So, I always spend my annual leave traveling, not necessarily abroad. By traveling and seeing differences, I can appreciate differences and respect different styles.

My husband also enjoys traveling very much. When traveling to a particular tourist destination, my husband and I always join a city tour to allow us to visit museums through which we learn many things, including history and culture.

Staying fit

I keep my body fit by swimming. I used to go swimming three times a day but due to increased activities, I can only swim in the swimming pool at the apartment complex where we live.

Tips for young executives

Automotive is an interesting and dynamic industry but to make the industry sustainable demands creativity and innovation. Appreciate more the process rather than instant results achieved by violating rules and regulations.